MORRIS-ROSENFELD ECUMENICAL SHARED MINISTRY
ORDER OF SERVICE FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 4, 2023
TRINITY / ENVIRONMENT / UNION / PRIDE SUNDAY
Due to copyright limitations, we are unable to print the words to many of the songs. However, our musicians have chosen music to fit the scriptures. We invite you to look up the words in your worship book and ponder them. If you do not have a worship book, ponder the words to one of your favourite hymns and listen for God’s voice. Those who have internet may find the songs on YouTube.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Jesus did not spend a great deal of time discoursing about the trinity or original sin or the incarnation, which have preoccupied later Christians. He went around doing good and being compassionate.
~Karen Armstrong
BEFORE WE WORSHIP, WE REFLECT…
Though the word trinity is not found in the scriptures, today’s second reading includes the apostolic greeting that begins the liturgy: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. In the gospel Jesus sends his disciples forth to baptize in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. More than a doctrine, the Trinity expresses the heart of our faith: we have experienced the God of creation made known in Jesus Christ and with us always through the Holy Spirit. We celebrate the mystery of the Holy Trinity in word and sacrament, as we profess the creed, and as we are sent into the world to bear witness to our faith.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We acknowledge we gather and worship on Treaty 1 Territory, the original lands of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation.
Creator God, we look at your world and praise you for the diversity all around us. Thank you for the gift of relationships; our connection with people, animals and the land. Help us, Lord, to see differences and diversity as strengths. Help us to listen and understand; to meet one another with wonder and anticipation.
Help us to love as you love, without expectation. Reveal to us your way of reconciliation and guide us into right relationships with all living things. Lead us to understand how Indigenous peoples have been and continue to be profoundly harmed by settler people and institutions. Lead us to repent when we as settlers deny Indigenous peoples respect, dignity and fullness of life. Help us to listen compassionately, to speak humbly and to act justly. Help us to seek the peace, justice and reconciliation you desire among all your children. Thank you for your mercy and grace. Amen.
Prayer by Dianne Climenhage, MCC Atlantic Canada Regional Representative
CALL TO WORSHIP
Creating God—God beyond Gender,
who makes no mistakes,
who surprises us always,
who molded the first person both male and female, who molded the first non-gendered human
who loves all creation.
Help us love the diversity of your creation.
Help us accept all varieties of gender in ourselves and in others.
Help us celebrate those who are different from us
That we may learn to love each other as you love us. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, both human and divine.
—Used by permission of Rev. Cindy Bourgeois, Wesley United Church, Regina, Sask
CHILDREN’S SONG: VU 585 Jesus Bids Us Shine
CENTERING PRAYER
As we have acknowledged the diversity in this amazing world, created in atoms and molecules but with an underlying spirit of mystery, we must also admit that, at times, we have forgotten of the wonders of that diversity. We have longed for things to be familiar and as they have always been.
We know that the great religious traditions have caused harm in the past and continue to cause harm and pain to those who express their being in ways different than the majority.
We know, too, that we individually, both intentionally and unintentionally, have rejected and shunned those who are not like us. For this we are truly sorry and ask your patience as we learn and strive for ways to be more inclusive and celebrate all in this wondrous world. Amen.
MINUTE FOR MISSION: Your Generosity Inspires Healing through Storytelling
Storytelling is a powerful way to preserve and share history. The theatre performance, Bunk #7, does just that.
Bunk #7 shares the true story of six boys rioting against the mistreatment and many forms of abuse they received at Edmonton Indian Residential School in St. Albert, Alberta, in the early 1960s. Written by the late Nisga’a MLA Larry Guno, the play is based on his own experience at the residential school and named for his bunk number.
The cast features Indigenous youth and young adults, offering a powerful way for the cast and audiences to learn and share the story of cultural resilience. In November 2021, the play premiered at Raven Theatre in British Columbia to a full audience. With overwhelming support, the performers went on a tour of northwestern BC to share the transformative journey.
Your gifts to Mission & Service open opportunities for storytelling to move forward in an impactful and powerful way. Thank you for your generosity.
CANADIAN LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF
Inspired by God’s love for the world, CLWR challenges and responds to the injustice which causes human suffering and poverty. We are committed to working alongside our partners to build resilience through a continual shared learning approach. As an international relief and development agency of the Lutheran communities, CLWR provides opportunities for Canadians to respond to national and international needs.
CHILDREN’S CHAT
How does one describe the Holy Trinity – God, Jesus and Spirit – as one being, and three beings in one? With great difficulty!
When I was 10 years old, I watched a movie on TV about a young man in Italy who had a close relationship with God. When he prayed, he would float off the ground! One day his pastor came to visit him and they began to discuss God as three in one, one in three. This is how the man explained the Trinity to his pastor:
“Take a blanket and make three folds in it. Notice that all three folds are made with the same blanket, and that each fold is separate from the others. This is the Trinity.”
Now, I realize that no answer will fully explain God as three in one, one in three. I still think that this is the best explanation I have heard, and it remains my favourite! AND…
To better understand God as three in one, one in three, take that blanket and wrap it around you. Do you feel “snuggled in”, comfortable, hugged? That is the Trinity. No matter where we go, what happens to us in our lives, we are “wrapped” in love. When we “wrap” others in our love, we are sharing the love of God. We are helping do the work of the Trinity, one person at a time. Thank you, God!
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
Holy Wisdom, come. We long for your truth that sets the captives free. Bring us your Word that liberates. Quiet all that turns us against ourselves, one another, or any of your creatures and creations. Lead us in love that mends and restores. Amen.
READINGS AND PSALM
First Reading: Genesis 1:1–2:4a
At the beginning of time, God the Creator, God the powerful Word, and God the life-giving Spirit form the earth and all its inhabitants. God sees that all this created work is good and then rests on the seventh day.
1In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
6And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. 8God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
9And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. 12The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. 13And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
14And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, 15and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, 18to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
20And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” 21So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. 22God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.
24And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so. 25God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.
26Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”
27So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
28God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” 29God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 30And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
2:1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. 2And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. 3So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.
4aThese are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.
Psalm 8
1O Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
2you whose glory is chanted above the heavens out of the mouths of infants and children;
you have set up a fortress against your enemies, to silence the foe and avenger.
3When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars you have set in their
courses,
4what are mere mortals that you should be mindful of them, human beings that you should care
for them?
5Yet you have made them little less than divine; with glory and honor you crown them.
6You have made them rule over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet:
7all flocks and cattle, even the wild beasts of the field,
8the birds of the air, the fish of the sea, and whatever passes along the paths of the sea.
9O Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 13:11-13
Paul closes a challenging letter to the Corinthians with an appeal to Christian fellowship grounded in the triune harmony of Christ’s grace, God’s love, and the Spirit’s partnership.
11Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.
13The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20
After his resurrection, Jesus summons his remaining disciples and commissions them to baptize and teach all nations in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
16Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
HYMN: VU 315 Holy, Holy, Holy
SERMON
On this Holy Trinity Sunday meet the three greatest risk takers known to humankind: God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. God, who probably took the greatest risk in creating human beings. Without human beings I believe nature and the animals would be far better off! But no, God was not satisfied with just these two. God created human beings–warring, fighting, murdering, greedy, loving, compassionate, giving human beings. Life for God was never dull after we were created! And yet, knowing how we would turn out, God created us anyway. Now that was a risk! Leaving the care of the planet in our hands was definitely a risky move, and to a large extent humanity has failed God in this regard. However, there are those who are following their calling as stewards of God’s creation and many environmental laws and procedures are in existence because of these dedicated people.
Then there is Jesus. Jesus who took great risks. Jesus risked breaking the social rules of his day to free people from the bondage of patriarchy, social stigma, economic stereotyping. Jesus spoke to women in public and included them in the circle of his closest companions, touched lepers and the coffins of the dead, ate with tax collectors and prostitutes, prayed for and forgave his enemies. Probably the greatest risk Jesus took was leaving his church in the hands of his disciples to manage and grow. Look at the apostle Paul–who but Jesus would take the risk of personally calling a persecutor of the church and a murderer of Christians to become a follower himself! Paul turned out to be one of the strongest leaders, supporters and mediators of the early Church.
Last there is the Holy Spirit who risks rejection and repeatedly, calling people into the service of Jesus. The Holy Spirit who risks speaking to our hearts, telling us words from the heart of God, only to have some people turn a deaf ear; who points us to the revelations around us of the presence of God, the power of Jesus and the changes in people that unconditional love can make, only to have some deny what they see and know in the core of their being.
And yet these three keep risking. Why? Because they can do no other. Risk is the epitome of freedom, and freedom is what the Holy Trinity is all about. It is also what Christians are all about.
We have been called by God in our baptism to lead a life of risk. Not foolish risk, not self-destructive risk, rather we have been called to live a life risking love–Christ’s love–for others. When we do this, our lives will change in dramatic ways. It also means that conflict will find us, we will most certainly be disliked by some, open to ridicule, and be a target for those who want to blame God, the Church and us for any pain in their lives.
None of us can give up Christ because we are grafted to Christ like a branch to a tree. Even if we try to cut ourselves away from the tree, it’s too late, the sap, the Spirit, is already flowing in us. We can’t abandon our call to love because Christ’s love is already in us. The beauty of being part of the body of Christ is that the Spirit sends others into our lives to support us, encourage us, work as a team to live out the love and ministry of Christ.
You already know the results of risking love. I am certain we all have stories of pain and struggle in our lives. We are human after all. I am also certain that we all have stories to share about the times we risked love and people surprised us.
There was a woman in my first parish who did not like me when I first arrived. In fact, she stopped attending worship because “,,,women were not meant to be pastors” and she was protesting my ordination. I visited her and risked loving her.
Over time, this woman’s health failed. I kept up the visits and kept risking the love. As she lay in the local hospital, missing her home, she asked me, “Why won’t they let me go home?” Taking a risk I said, “You cannot go home because your memory is failing and it is no longer safe for you to live on your own.”
“I didn’t know it was that bad,” she said.
“I’m sorry, but it’s that bad.”
Then she took my hand and kissed it.
“Thank you for telling me”, was her gracious reply.
Now, you can say, “it was her poor health” or “it was circumstance” that led this woman to accept me, and perhaps you are right. However, the reality of risking a life of love is that it takes time. Time and dedication. You cannot change people. You can love them unconditionally, which frightens some people who have never been loved like that before, and they may rebel or fight against you because they are afraid of such love, but eventually, if you keep loving long enough, people will change. And so will you.
As you risk your life of love, you will probably shed tears. Do not be ashamed of your tears. Divine love affects us deeply. Take the risk of sharing your feelings, of placing your ideas and dreams before the crowd. Who knows, you may inspire someone else to follow their dream, or teach someone that it is ok to have feelings and share them. The power of Christ’s love is truly amazing. I have seen it work miracles in people of all ages. I have seen it work miracles in myself.
Risking a life of love is not easy. It can even be scary. AND, it is worth it. I am never as fully alive as when I live a life of risk. The risk of love. God created us to have the freedom of choice. Christ died so that we would be free from sin. The Spirit calls us and sets us free to risk love.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. Amen.
HYMN OF THE MONTH: MV 182 Grateful
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Trusting in God’s abundant mercy, let us offer our prayers for a world in need.
Holy three, holy one, you call the church to make disciples of all nations. Encourage bishops, moderators, pastors, and deacons in their proclamation of the gospel and direct all the baptized into lives of humble service. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Holy three, holy one, you spoke creation into being and called it good. Protect lands and waters threatened by human misuse and sustain living creatures of every kind: wild animals, birds, fish, and every creeping thing. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Holy three, holy one, you have given humankind authority over the earth. Raise up leaders who listen earnestly, speak honestly, and govern thoughtfully. Heal divisions between nations, that we might agree with one another and live in peace. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Holy three, holy one, you promise to be with us always, to the end of the age. Surround those most in need of your healing presence: any who are lonely, all who are grieving, and those who are sick. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Holy three, holy one, you set the earth on its axis, and we experience the seasons. Strengthen those enduring challenges this summer: those who suffer in the heat, parents overwhelmed by childcare responsibilities, and children experiencing food insecurity outside of school. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Holy three, holy one, you give rest when our work is done. We give thanks for all the saints who now rest in you, confident in the promise of resurrection life in the age to come. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Receive our prayers and answer us, O God, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
SENDING SONG: VU 248 When Long Before Time
BENEDICTION
Let us go from here to proclaim the good news: God takes on flesh in the strange and surprising. Love liberates from the margins. Together, we have what we need to resist evil and oppression. With a renewed commitment to solidarity with God and all LGBTQIA+ and Two-Spirit people, may the Spirit lead us from this place with peace. Amen.